Sanctity of LoC extends to entire Jammu & Kashmir, says United States

13 July 1999Indian Express

WASHINGTON: The sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC) extends to its entire length in Jammu and Kashmir and is not confined just to the Kargil area, the Clinton administration said today.

"It is a fair assumption," U.S. state department spokesman James Foley said when asked whether the sanctity of the LoC referred to in the Clinton-Sharif joint statement extended to the entire LoC in Jammu and Kashmir or merely to Kargil.

Welcoming the withdrawal of infiltrators by Pakistan from the Indian territory in Kargil, Foley said the U.S. hopes the Lahore process would be resumed to settle all differences between India and Pakistan after the sanctity of the LoC is re-established and there is "full cessation of hostilities".

He said that following the announcement by Pakistan that its forces had begun withdrawing from Kargil, both countries have reported significant reduction in fighting.

The U.S. welcomes these developments which "demonstrate a desire of both countries to end this crisis" and which Washington thinks is of the utmost importance. The end to the fighting and restoration of the sanctity of the LoC, the U.S. hopes, would be the prelude to the restoration of the Lahore process in which India and Pakistan would be able to discuss "the entire range of issues between them", Foley said.

The state department spokesman made it clear that the attention which the Kargil conflict drew does not constitute international mediation.